Nehemiah 8 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

Nehemiah 8:17

The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.

When we walk in obedience to God's Word, our joy will become very great. The Israelites were celebrating the Festival of Tabernacles, and they were doing it in the prescribed way. This reverent obedience to the Lord's Word brought about great joy.

Oftentimes, we equate obedience with being less fun; we think that rules are set to hinder us, not help us, that God just doesn't understand or want us to have fun, but that, my friends, isn't true. God has given us water wings in this big pool of life. He has equipped us with His truth in order to live and thrive by it, not be oppressed under it. Disobedience brings sorrow of heart, not joy. But the world wants us to think that by making our own rules, we will have more "fun."

The Israelites had joy because they were honoring their God, not their flesh. When we honor the flesh, we die a little in the Spirit, but when we honor the Spirit, we die a little to the flesh. We will grow in whichever one we honor and live in more. If we want to live a life of joy, then it must be lived in full surrender to the Lord and all that He is. The enemy will try to convince us that obedience will kill our joy, but it is the other way around. Obedience is of God, and so is joy; we can't expect to partake in one and abandon the other.

So today, if you have lost your joy, I would encourage you to look at your obedience to Him and His Word. Maybe the answer you are looking for is found there? If we are not walking with Him, then we are walking away from Him. Christ was obedient; will we be?

Philippians 2:6-8- Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

God bless! I love you all, but His obedient love set us free! Glory, honor, and praise forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!